


Thine Heart's Desire

by bri_notthecheese



Category: Dark Souls (Video Games), Dark Souls III
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Mutual Pining, These two are so sweet, how can you not fall for the Fire Keeper though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 03:42:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20885546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bri_notthecheese/pseuds/bri_notthecheese
Summary: The Fire Keeper knows their bond probably shouldn't be anything more than their duty demands. But that doesn't stop her from wishing it.





	Thine Heart's Desire

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Gineru](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gineru/gifts).

> Inktober/Promptober Day 3: Bait
> 
> I've done a tiny bit of research on my own to make certain I got some terms right, but my limited experience with DS3 is frequently watching my best friend play, so this is for her gorgeous Ashen One, Nareth Laizelle.

The Fire Keeper perks up as she hears the familiar sounds of the shrine door opening and her Nareth returns home.

No, that isn’t right. Nareth isn’t _hers._ The Ashen One is beholden to everyone here in Lothric; she’s the one that controls their fate. She’s an important person and someone that cannot afford to be distracted—no matter what foolish thoughts the Fire Keeper may have in her own head.

The Fire Keeper looks on and her heart grows weary as she takes in Nareth’s appearance. Her Hollowing is progressing quite rapidly and she appears truly exhausted. She hopes her Ashen One will take some rest before venturing back out again.

Nareth shoots her a wave that she reciprocates before disappearing further into the shrine. She’ll be back. She never returns here without speaking to her.

The Fire Keeper knows she’s grown attached to her champion in more ways than her duty requires, and that is a potentially dangerous thing. Lothric has always been a gray and desolate place and saying that happiness is in short supply would be an understatement. She has her duties; they both do. Still, her heart yearning is a matter that cannot be stopped. Perhaps one day she will tell her. She’s already sworn to be at her side for as long as Nareth shall have her. Perhaps she will simply tell her there are more to her words than the bond their duties bid them to share.

She can hear the sounds of Andre working on a piece upon his anvil. Her Ashen One must have found some more materials for her weapon. Each raw scrap is precious and far in between.

She looks good with her blade. Many a time, the Fire Keeper finds herself entranced as Nareth spins around the bonfire, testing the weight of a new weapon she’s picked up. She once procured twin blades from a creature known as the Dancer and twirled around specially for the Fire Keeper. She couldn’t stop the small smiles that continued to plague her the rest of the evening.

If that weren’t enough, the blade isn’t the only art she knows. Her pyromancy is a natural trait—‘as simple as breathing,’ Nareth once told her. She’d then scoffed at her own words and added that she still had a lot to learn, but the basics had always come naturally to her and something she falls back on in a pinch.

Nareth returns to the central room and the Fire Keeper can’t stop her heart from skipping a beat.

“Welcome home, Ashen One. Speak thine heart’s desire.”

“I’ve brought more souls, if you wouldn’t mind, love.”

A simple statement. Nothing more. Nareth’s tacked on this pet name for quite some time—the Fire Keeper ought to be used to it. She takes a moment to compose herself before speaking her duty, as if she wouldn’t help _her _love no matter what.

“Very well. Then touch the darkness inside me. Take nourishment from these sovereignless souls.”

Her champion kneels before her and she continues her speech as she aids Nareth in growing stronger. She expects her to depart shortly after, but instead Nareth transitions from her kneeled position to sitting cross-legged on the ground. She peeks up at the Fire Keeper, a small smirk on her lips as she raises her estus pouch in a toast.

The Fire Keeper knows she’s being baited, but she can’t help but giggle as she twirls around for her Ashen One. Nareth’s weary smile is a bit bigger after that and when she comes to rest next to the Fire Keeper on the steps, she seems to sit even closer than normal.

They sit together in comfortable silence for a time. The Fire Keeper is content to simply be in her presence, their shoulders and thighs occasionally brushing.

“I suppose I cannot stay here as long as I’d like,” Nareth sighs.

“Farewell, my Ashen One. I shall be here upon thy return.”

“Thy…Ashen One?” There’s hesitancy in Nareth’s voice. That is clear. But the Fire Keeper detects something more, something that could perhaps be akin to hope. She would have cursed her blunder otherwise.

“Yes.”

Nareth blinks. Once, twice, before leaning in and pressing her lips to the corner of the Fire Keeper’s mouth in a very intimate, yet chaste kiss. Had she been standing, the Fire Keeper is certain her knees would have buckled.

“Farewell, love. I will see you when I return.”

“To the end, I am at thy side.”


End file.
